I talkd about your broadband deployment in Ohio question with Roger Verny, Deputy Ohio State Librarian, and we discusse how just as OPLIN was based on equity of access, broadband availability also needs to be based on equity of access. The underserved areas need access to resources that developed areas do. The way you get to resources today is through broadband access. The Gates Foundation needs to lend not only its money but its political cache in reducing the digital divide. They need to be the Champion.

I talkd about your broadband deployment in Ohio question with Roger Verny, Deputy Ohio State Librarian, and we discusse how just as OPLIN was based on equity of access, broadband availability also needs to be based on equity of access. The underserved areas need access to resources that developed areas do. The way you get to resources today is through broadband access. The Gates Foundation needs to lend not only its money but its political cache in reducing the digital divide. They need to be the Champion.

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===Don Walsch OARNET===

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The key factor was the State of Ohio's decision to establish a strategic plan for networking which established at T1 as the desired standard for connectivity, and then the state need to create an environment where this level of service would be affordable statewide for all State Agencies including libraries, K-12 schools and higher education. As a result of issuing an RFP, which include all state entities, the state received favorable pricing due to the volume of the contract and the term which was 10 years. This approach is currently being considered in the next generation broadband where a T1 is no longer an adequate standard and we are looking to set a new goal to provide a range of ethernet connectivity (10 megabits to 1 gigabit) as the new standard.

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With the integration of voice, data, video and internet services using IP there will be rapidly increasing broadband requirements. As with the previous approach the key is to establish the standard and set that as the state goal and then to develop an RFP for the private sector to compete for the best price and options to deliver this service. We are also looking at expanding the scope to include all state, local and federal governments in the state as well as research faciities, education and education related and healthcare. The theory is by further expanding the eligibility entities the pricing may be more favorable in the RFP.

Nancy

The History of OIPLIN

Roger Verney, State Library
Steve Wood, Cleveland Heights Public Library
Tony Yankus, currently in State IT office, formerly at OPLIN and State Library

OHIOLink formed in mid-80s.
Universities went to Board of Regents to get new libraries and the Bd of Regents said, no more buildings, share resources instead.

So OhioLink was formed.
Tom Sanville, head of OhioLink.

Tom takes marching orders from academic community. The Academic community is moving closer to public libraries. Some public libraries on OhioLink now. But in the beginning, OhioLink did not want public libraries involved.

Concept of public libraries piggybacking on OhioLink. Tom said no, not interested. Didn’t need public libraries. One of the criteria for participating in OhioLink was that you had to have Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III). Public libraries were not interested in III. Big metro libraries were on DRA and didn’t want to change to III. Cincinnati and Columbus had homegrown systems.

Greg Byerly at Kent. Helped to put together OhioLink.
Don Tolliver from Kent and someone else from Higher Ed.
Greg was hired to create OhioLink.

Byerly was hired to put together OPLIN.
Also hired to put together InfoOhio. InfoOhio didn’t have money and was a poor stepchild.

Ohio Library Council, Fran Haley was the new person at OLC.
Fran was the big leader, combined with Greg Byerly. Greg had the ideas and Fran made it happen.

Dick Cheski was very weak and not much liked. Tony was director of library development at the State Library. Roger came to State Library from Higher Ed. Steve Wood was Director of Cleveland Heights.

Fran picked carefully people that she wanted to be involved as Co-chairs. Then she invited the entire library community to participate. If you are interested, come to the meetings. Whole library community knew what was happening. Democracy in action. Not done behind closed doors. Tried to involve trustees.

Produced the proposal (OPLIN, 1994. Byerly wrote most of it. Got $50,000 from legislature to fund meetings. Dave Miller, on OLC board, got Randy Gardner, a state legislator who became the champion for the project financially. (See Dave Miller’s version of this.)

Had great idea in proposal, now how do we get the money? Library community grass roots effort. Greg Browning, head of Budget and Management Office. Got $5 million over two years to start it.

Couldn’t happen now. No leadership or money to do it. A lot more money was available. State was rolling in money.

People, need, and money all came together in 1995, July 1. Browning just put the money in the budget and it was funded. Librarians didn’t have to lobby much.

Tony was the first Director of OPLIN. March 15, 1996, unveiled first OPLIN web site, gave everybody a T1. Mission: Equity of Access to Information.
In some small libraries, OPLIN pipe was the biggest pipe coming into the area.

249 out of 250 libraries joined immediately. (Or at least verr soon).

A lot of talks, dog and pony shows to show what was possible. Had several “summits” to demonstrate. Programs at the association meeting in the fall of 95. Did show and tell of what it might look like. Statewide video conference at 8 sites on Ground Hog Day in 96. Reached 500 staff members that day. Nothing to show on the internet. No WWW yet.

Said you can run your automation system on it. Issue in national library community was to get libraries connected to the Internet.

Under Tony three major things:
• telecommunication connectivity
• access to the internet
• a suite of databases
o Discover Ohio
o OH Kids
o What tree is this?
o Ohio women
Had the content created for them by others.

Major reasons for OPLIN was to provide government information but there was little online information from the government to provide.

Budget grew to buy PCs for the local libraries. 3 PCs for every library. At least some had to be available for the public. This came from Randy Gardner. $5 million for connectivity and $8 million for PCs and other services such as routers.. This was a one-time deal. Since then, OPLIN has received minimal increase. E-rate has been a big help. Still about $5 million.

Cheski, then State Librarian, tried to get control over OPLIN. Didn’t succeed and quit.

Administrative overhead for OPLIN had to be limited to 3%. Good OPLIN Board. Had a great political sense and management know how. Knew constitueces. Great leadership in John Wallach. Great Executive Committee, solved problems and kept moving.
Tony would come up with ideas and budget proposals, talk about them and the Board supported most of them.

Amount Tony accomplished with state contracts for telecom and databases was incredible. Group of children’s librarians. Told them to come up with ideas and they did: Ohio Kids.

Meribeth Mansfield wrote an article for LJ. Future of public libraries. Summer of 1997.
Got a lot of attention.

No time to publicize all the great things they were doing. Did have a big kick-off with Governor present.

OPLIN has been independent. Board reported to no one. Mike Lucas, State Librarian after Cheski, donated time of fiscal budget staff to help out. State Library still supports OPLIN in this way.

What made it successful? What factors?
Timing (lots of money available)
Leadership (Fran Haley and Greg Byerly and Tony Yankus)
Lot of people got enthusiastic about the concept.
Librarians understood the value of the internet.
Lots of libraries already automated.
Grass roots support.
Inclusivity of librarians. Asked local librarians to participate in planning.
Broke down barriers between organizations – Fran was a great communicator
Dedicated the network library by library with cake, coffee, state representative and senator, mayor. Lots of photo ops and positive publicity.
Fran coordinated this.
PR packet
OhioNet did the training of all the librarians to do everything. This is how you turn on the pc, reboot a router, search a database. How to access the internet.
Fran had a history of lobbying legislature very successfully.
Fran was a catalyst to bring people together and coordinate who should talk to whom.
Agreement in library community and good lobbying.
Ohio Library Council coordinated the message for the legislature so everybody said the same thing.

How would you start now in a state?
Someone has to take the leadership role.
Someone has to have the attention of someone in the state.
This is the right thing to do and we are going to do it now!
Effective lobbying technique
Open communication between the legislature and the library community

Three library communities are talking more than the past but still better than in the past.
Some of the barriers between public and academic libraries are coming down.

Budget History
Submitted budget request for 1996-97, OPLIN was included in budget request, $4.8 million over 2 years. General revenue funds. $8 million to buy 3 computers for every public library in Ohio and also one time costs for telecom like routers. Gave money to OPLIN and said could use over 2 years. Software, training also included.

Regional library systems in Ohio, 7 of them. OPLIN used some of these systems for training. Paid systems to do this. One system served as the help desk.

Goal to have every library connected with routers and computers for the public and databases for the public. Two staff to begin with, Tony and an office manager.

Operating costs never grew much.
Now only $4.3 million out of general revenue.
$3 million in spending authority includes erate, database fees.

Budget switched over the years away from the state library and then back to it.

In State Library budget then moved to State Aid.
This protected it from budget cuts.

2005, was $4.7 million.
Cuts brought it down to $4.3 million.

2000-01 got $100,000 for filtering.
2006-07 got another $100,000 for each of two years.

2002-03 requested OPLIN out of general funds and database resources.

Funding changes every year.

MORE – Moving Ohio Resources Everywhere
Managed by the state library. Public and school libraries participate. Share resources.

E-rate has been sporadic over the years. Began to get in 2000.
Difficult to plan. Get some years and not in others.

Local libraries lobby first for State Aid. Maybe lobby for OPLIN and maybe not.

Now have seven staff. Worked with OARnet at the beginning and now have an OPLIN support center. Staffing not likely to increase or decrease dramatically.

Columbus Focus Group 1

Includes librarians and OCCN and Netmedicine

1. Describe your current network. How is it configured? How much bandwidth do you have? How do you get it? What does it cost? How is it funded? Is it scalable?

State Library currently the backbone but not sure what this means due to changes. Two hundred and fifty one libraries in state generally speaking all to back to Columbus.

Cleveland Heights has 3 T1 connections to the branches. They connect with fiber thru local cable company. All city offices, schools and libraries to central cable head-in branch. They are a part of CLVNET which is a backbone.

State Library connects straight to backbone.

NEO-RLS (regional cooperative) has 400 potential libraries with 92 public libraries. The main traffic filter and management run thru the library system with 1 T1 from OPLIN and 1 cable line. OPLIN >nearest HUB>400 libraries. Use Time Warner high speed for overflow which is bigger than T1.

OPLIN provides connection to library together thru consortiums CLVENET and SEO. SEO consortium is now statewide with 75 libraries.

NetWellness – goes thru university network to Cincinnati hub. Use Internet 2 and state backbone. Website available on Internet 2 and commodity network. No security locks, all information available for everyone.

Schools use E-Rate with one school access, some are using 3rd Frontier it just depends on where the school is located. If there is a housing authority then they use cable and/or DSL.

Multi layers of library organizations in Ohio are:
OPLIN – created for basic needs but not enough pipes for all services.
INFO Ohio – are the schools network
OHIOnet – academic libraries

The NEO-RLS works totally with OPLIN on all technical issues but this varies per regional which there are 4 Regionals that serve Ohio. NEO-RLS along with OPLIN takes care of all needs of the users that are paying fees. This is supported thru state and local funds. All libraries are a member of the regional but if they don’t pay fees then they are not provided services.

The costs for connections:
ClevNet - $6,000 per month to OPLIN.
OCCN – 271 million for schools for full T1 access
NetWellness – uses university network and all costs paid by network, does not know costs
State Library – on backbone and pays the same as ClevNet

OPLIN is moving to provide fiber to all users. ClevNet also uses a DS3 which OPLIN pays for.

• Shared automation systems
o Clevenet – 31 libraries
o SEO – 70 libraries, all small
• Public access to the network, social networking. Public access is highest users and internet is highest reason for usage.
o Utube
o MySpace
o Ebay
o Email
• Downloadable audio books and video
• Databases
• Netwellness – health media
• Distance learning. Ohio learning network. Using podcasts, downloadable text 500 courses. Student remote access to do homework.
• Pent up demand will explode
• How get people in rural areas more BB connectivity and people in urban areas $$ to get BB in the home
• 21st century grants keep school libraries open after school but not enough of them. Demand still falls on public libraries
• Network open 24 hours a day but the highest use is in the afternoon. Lots of available bandwidth in the middle of the night.
• Terminals busy constantly
• Time limit on use of computers but this contradicts use for distance learning that might require longer to take a course.
• Some segregation of use to protect catalog access
• Wireless – parking lot users
• T-1s segregated wireless
• Come to library to get high speed even if they have a computer at home
• Know It Now – virtual reference
• Webinars, WebJunction

3. What would you like to do with your Internet Connection that you cannot do with your current environment?

• Meetings online – interactive video networking for training and meetings. Desk top delivery.
• Mind set change – not to use new technology
• Online coursework – distance learning
• “Lack of bandwidth is holding back technology.”
• Digitization of books/other media, archives, photos
• Genealogy resources
• University of Phoenix model – interactive, virtual schools, distance learning
• VOIP – Management of system
• More computer stations for internet access
• If citywide BB access to home, library resources would be more available. Some cities are adding citywide wireless access.
• Would it be more cost effective if all on same BIG pipe

“Video delivery usage is increasing need to be at the get on the band wagon with this service. Would like to see video download available to patron. If the network availability cannot be obtained thru us than they will go around us.”

4. Is your bandwidth sufficient? If no, what problems does the insufficient bandwidth cause for your staff and patrons?

• No one has sufficient bandwidth
• They limit use of patrons
• Limit number of computers they put out
• Have to limit in PM when use is highest so makes problem worse
• Limit types of activities
• Timing of training, can’t do in the afternoon
• Demand on system grows and cannot use – slow email
• Different size of pipes – get rid of bottlenecks. Only as good as smallest pipe
• Works in OPLIN cloud but expensive to cross networks.
• Limit number of computers

5. What would you consider sufficient bandwidth? How did you arrive at that amount?

• Hard to predict future use, explosive growth
• OPLIN is trying to replace copper with fiber up to 10 megs
• Want scalable fiber
• Look at use growth in past. Increase in order of magnitude. Look at other industries
• Will state lines reach a bottleneck nationally or internationally
• More fiber everywhere. Light all dark fiber everywhere. Light all dark fiber.. Put 10 megs everywhere.
• Find weak points – bottleneck and replace with fiber
• Take advantage of research
• Policy makers and industry keep a lid on development to make money
• Next generation is fiber and wireless
• Create a think tank on library issues
• Watch trends and try to predict

“Possible to replace 3 T1’s with 10 mg of fiber line which should last for awhile but may not last as long as estimated but a second fiber line can be added without additional installation charges which will be the best long term benefit.”

“Still need to look at the last 5 years and how there has been a double or triple increase in technologic advances and usage and then figure this will continue so as trends keep increase we should plan to expand broadband capabilities as much as possible. Currently OPLIN is watching the trends.”

“It may be good idea to just install 10mg of fiber everywhere. The weak points of fiber need to be found and eliminated, for example the fiber line going into the house is replaced with cooper and this will slowdown processing. “

“There is a third wire in most house wiring which could be used with phone lines.”

“Believe that people are doing research (MIT) but not sharing research on information trends with the public. There is a need to check with MIT and other research labs for projects in development. Third frontier needs to have a liaison from the library field to keep abreast of trends.”

“Libraries should be brought to the front of the line with think tanks and research on future projects. The fourth element in research and trends is the right time.”

6. If you had more bandwidth, what would you use if for? What is your vision for your library’s connectivity?

• Ubiquitous BB throughout state
• Digital divide – easy convenient, cheap, access to BB
• Same as telephone and TV
• Adequate training in use for everybody
• Computer and TV on same box. If cable, can computer connect?
• How leverage to get greater access
• People read and learn more
• Increased information literacy skills
• If get stuck on google, ask “Do you want help from a librarian” – connect directly to librarian who can see what already looked at
• Google direct to DB search
• Google and libraries get together
• Equity of access to next generation network services to information age communities to enable education and economic development

7. What are the barriers to getting more bandwidth?

• $$, individual, local libraries, states, get rid of concept to “do more with less”. Need to make the case that high speed connectivity is a good thing to have, need to pay for it. Ohio’s new government “gets it”
• Leadership – political. Need to capture $$ for the right project. Higher priority on political agenda. The new Ohio governor seems interested in Broadband
• Elitist mind set that not everybody needs high speed connectivity
• AT&T, monoploly without any government control. 2/3 of OPLIN comes through the private sector; 1/3 through higher ed network
• Leadership in the private sector
• Turfism – 3 networks, benefit to get together but they don’t
• Librarians don’t want to change

8. E-rate: What role does e-rate play in high speed access for public libraries?
Who applies for the E-rate funds?How does CIPA impact?

• OPLIN applies for its connectivity
• Individual libraries apply for POTS and any additional connectivity beyond
• State gets $70 million from e-rate
• Don’t like erate because
o Paperwork
o Perception that paperwork is onerous (but it really isn’t)
o Eligibility changes every year
o Needs to be simplified
o CIPA – Library by library, funding through OPLIN, $100,000 in state funds
• “Actually, once you learn how to fill out the forms, it’s not that bad.”

9. Who at the regional or state level provides you assistance in analyzing your needs and getting you more bandwidth?

• OPLIN – Helps with LAN as well as WAN
• Regional libraries – respond to technical problems, try and analyze where the problem is
• Own staff in medium to large public libraries

10. If the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were to offer assistance in getting more of US public libraries with higher bandwidth, what would be most helpful?

• Research think tank to help libraries plan for the future
• Advocacy – people listen to the Gates name
• States that don’t have much connectivity get $$ to help
• Get states to work together. There is currently little communication between states
• Advocate with Governors’ about BB policy
• Establish a national grant program for libraries to apply to do innovative projects
• ½ T-1 is laughable., Need a formula based on need and use.
• Provide an equal big pipe to all based on high use. “Internet use is a self fulfilling prophesy.” All libraries will fill a bib pipe. Need video to desktop.
• Long term effort to track over time. Need a tool for evaluation need and planning.
• Need to look at how they big/whole picture is changing over time and provide national leadership.

Columbus Focus Group 2

All Librarians

1. Describe your current network. How is it configured? How much bandwidth do you have? How do you get it? What does it cost? How is it funded? Is it scalable?

• All in OPLIN
• Central Library Consortium, connect directly to CLC then CLC’s connects to OPLIN
• Road Runner through Time Warner Cable
o ILS has 1 T1 through OPLIN
o Internet through Cable, not sure of speed
• Columbus
o Now
• 2-3 T1s to each of 20 branches
• 45 meg to library data center
• 45 meg from OPLIN to Internet
o New
• 50 meg to each of 20 branches
• 100 meg to OPLIN
o Cheaper using fiber for new network
o New configuration could be a big bottleneck
• Worthington, 10 meg to OPLIN for each branch
o 2 T-1 to Columbus for ILS
o 1 T-1 ptp between branches
o Redundancy over OPLIN lines
• Delaware
o 1 T-1 franctionalized
• ½ to main
• ¼ to each of the brances
o New
• 1 T-1 to big branch
• 1 T-1 to main with franction to small branch
o Donated wirelnees from Time Warner
• Cost
o OPLIN lines paid directly
o Extra telecom lines from libraries budget
o Erate
o Donated cable
• Scalable
o Yes, ask OPLIN who askes State IT
o Do a load survey to see
o State IT notifies if there’s a problem
o Ethernet in Worthington
• OPLIN negotiated the contract
• AT&T paid to bring the line across public road
• Library paid from road to library
o Everybody trying to move to fiber because T-1s are too expensive

• ILS – 70% in one library
• Public internet – 80% in one library
o Social networking
o Gaming
• Wireless – one libraries shuts it off at night so public can’t use from parking lot BUT extending to nearby parks during the day
• Staff resources to central databases, 15% in one library
• VOIP
• Large emails – remote from home for public and staff
• Remote access in general
• High definition resources
o Audio and visual downloads
• People come to the library to learn how to do this and then go home and do it but while they are learning they do it at the library
• E-book download

3. What would you like to do with your Internet Connection that you cannot do with your current environment?
• More training
o Basic tech training for users
o Productivity suites
• Download more
o Music
o Books
o Videos
• VOIP in more rural areas
• More digital collections
• Gaming
• Interavtive web site with a community bulletin board
• More workstations
• Web casts – story times
• Wireless access
• Voicera – Star trek communication
• Patron generated ILL

5. What would you consider sufficient bandwidth? How did you arrive at that amount?
• Price, what can you afford. Compare price and found 50 megs was only a little more than 10 megs in cost.
• What’s available in the community? Industry availability in rural area, Most users to not have BB access. Build a highway in community and supposed to be stringing fiber with it
• Monitor bandwidth to determine use
• Tech plans every 3 years so plan then for new technology and branches
• Trend analysis
• Contract for shorter terms with clauses for scalability at a certain price
• ILS talk to each other and patron generated ILL, enough bandwidth for this.
• How much? - depends on the library and how long the community stays rural

6. If you had more bandwidth, what would you use if for? What is your vision for your library’s connectivity?
• As much bandwidth for staff and public to do what they want and need
• Library service 24-7
• Library set the standards for public internet access (restaurants, etc. have to live up to library reputation)
• Proactive with new technology and new content – movies, games, without worrying about bandwidth
• Advocating for industry standards so don’t have to teach different technologies to public and staff
• Work with feds to discover resources – e government

7. What are the barriers to getting more bandwidth?
• $$ State funding has been static
• Local competition with police and fire for $$
• Geography
• Vendor choice – lack of competition
• Infrastructure plan
o State and local orgs, companies don’t talk about their plans. Law if unintended consequences. Need more coordination
o No collaboration in place to make decisions
o Need to communicate about their plans
o Lack of cooperation in planning
o Local staffing and technology expertise
o Voting public doesn’t understand new role of libraries Need for technology.
• Technical expertise for configuration
• Understanding of the public about the role of libraries

8. E-rate: What role does e-rate play in high speed access for public libraries?Who applies for the E-rate funds?How does CIPA impact?
• CIPA – all filter but one
• Filter at different levels controlled by parental approval and bar code
• Apply?
o POTS
o Telecom if not by OPLIN
• Problems?
o Forms “Biggest bureaucracy in the whole world”
o 2-3 months full time for staff
o Difficult to contract in their time frame
o Rules and regulations keep changing
o Vendor doesn’t send the $$
o Long drawn out process
BUT
Worth a lot of money

9. Who at the regional or state level provides you assistance in analyzing your needs and getting you more bandwidth?
• Own staff
• Paid consultant
• OPLIN and OPLINTech list serv
• Colleagues
• Trade and professional literature, share information
• Contract with regional cooperatives
• WebJunction and other online resurces
• University colleagues
• State direct for sudden and drastic problems

10. If the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were to offer assistance in getting more of US public libraries with higher bandwidth, what would be most helpful?
• Make a deal with industry to offer long term service at good rates
• Pressure on Hollywood etc to offer more
• Alternate sources of bandwidth such as over electric lines. Plug into electric outlet to get bandwidth
• Provide line directly in certain rural areas
• Test MS products first. Get systems stable and backward compliant
• Test software –special grants to make sure new computers can run new software

Value of OPLIN? What makes it a success?
• Stable and funded
• Listens to individual libraries
• Adds to services and improves services, not static
• Balances needs of large metro and small rural libraries
• Balances politics
• Works with OLC (professional public library association) to get needs to General Assembly
• Works closely with state network
• Communicates well and facilitates communication
• Brought email to libraries in the state
• Lot of networks –have trouble working together. Afraid there is duplication
• Maintain identify and communicate well
• Works well with state library to do training.

“Ohio is a library rich state and a lot of library organizations are looking at their missions and how to improve services. All libraries and library organizations are having trouble trying not to duplicate efforts and working together. Adding to this is the fact that libraries are not expecting each organization to do specific or certain things for them.
Many libraries are having trouble maintaining their identify and communicating well and are pulled in too many different directions”

Interview with Greg Byerly

See also interviews with OPLIN pioneers and Dave Miller

How it all started.
Article in library hi tech in 1996. Vol 14, issues 2-3, 1996.

Similar document for OhioLink and InfoLink.

All three networks started with OCLC. OCLC was to do two things, mechanize production of catalog cards and a realtime circ system for Ohio universities. State of Ohio gave money to start.

1988, Bd of Regents looking at requests to build buildings. Regents said no more money to build more libraries because everything would be electronic. So university libraries upset so came up with regional storage facilities in 1986. Asked for money for storage facilities. Asked for money for a network to have an online integrated circulation system for all universities $2.1 million.

Grey was at Kent state and started NOTICE. Dean of libraries at Kent and Ohio State were on the commission to start OhioLink. Greg kept giving ideas and he got invited to go to a meeting with the regents. Wanted OhioLink in 9-12 months. Greg asked to start it up in two years. Loaned from Kent State to OhioLink.

Organized process to get everyone involved. 16 universities plus 2 private universities. Key getting 3 people from every university on a task force or committee. Huge RFP with vendors demonstrating what they could do.. 150 people at vendor presentations. Got all these people to participate. Miracles don’t happen if try and do quickly. Need to take time to get people to agree. Need smaller universities and large university to get on the same system. Originally 18 libraries had 13 different systems. Get everybody involved so that when a decision had to be made, they were all in agreement. Joined III. First big customer of III.

Ohio in 1987-88 had gotten its first supercomputer. Telecom networks between all universities. Original OhioLink Board had two people, one from OARnet and one from state IT. Everybody wins if everybody gets bigger computers. Everything came together at the right time. System became the backbone of the internet. It became technologically possible to link everybody together.

Public libraries didn’t have a clue. Bd. of Regents was afraid that the public libraries would steal their thunder and do something. Greg had loyalties to both public and academic. Told public libraries and they didn’t seem to care. 1985 was when they got a lot of money in change of state aid. Big tension between 7 major metros and rural. Everyone was trying to stake their claim. Public libraries were happy because they had a lot of money. In 1991 didn’t see a need to combine resource into a network.

InforOhio – In 1989, even before III contract. School libraries in NE Ohio wanted to start an OhioLink for the schools. Greg felt schools couldn’t do it because too many and not connected. BUT…
Ohio Educational Computer Network. Already linked all the schools over a separate state network. Had nothing to do with libraries. Allowed communication over state lines but only to the schools. Public libraries and academic libraries received big infusions of money from the state level to do this. Schools have never had this infusion of money. InfoOhio had its first libraries online in 1991. Greg did a bid process for school libraries. 23 regional computer sites. Schools connect to one of the regional sites and then to OECN and to each other. Now called ITCs or Instructional Technology Center. These are run locally with a board of local superintendents. Buy software programs for school lunch, bus schedules. School libraries also connected. About half of the Superintendents or on the Board. Some of the ITCs get cheaper rates for databases.

Fran Haley came to Ohio to head OLC. 1994 called Greg. Knew about OhioLink. Asked why there is no OhioLink for public libraries. Fran and OLC hired Greg in 1994 to develop the 1994 plan. That paper asked for 5 million dollars over two years to get this done. Governor gave them 4.6million. Announced in state of the budget. Legislators called and asked, if you get an extra $8 million can you do it all? They said yes. This was the beginning of funding for OPLIN.

Greg said had to get on state network. Fran said, why aren’t they? Greg said, they had never asked. Asked to get on and did. Had to get in early so considered as the network expanded. Met with Tim Steiner and other in state network. If had money behind it, then his duty as a state network to serve public libraries. He does lottery, highway patrol, everything expanding rapidly. Public libraries were the slowest to get involved. By waiting it became more possible for disparate for libraries to talk to each other. OhioLink everybody had to be on the same system. By the time public libraries joined, that was no longer necessary.

Over 2400 school libraries all use Sirsi/Dynix. InfoOhio is Sirsi/Dynix largest customer.

Tom Sanville, director of OhioLink. One of the fiercest persons to get statewide contracts for databases. First was Proquest in 1996.

Libraries Connect has the State Library, OPLIN, OhioLink, and InfoOhio working together.

OPLIN got EBSCO.
InfoOhio got small subset of Proquest.

Finally got together to do one state wide bid for general publications which was EBSCO.

Cooperate for database contracts.

Make a lot of sense in theory to be one network but where they have to work together they work together very well. Mike Lucas called these meetings for them to meet and talk about common issues.

Greg lobbied for Lib Connect Plus. Several times a year this group expands to include the 3 professional associations and library school.

SchoolRoom – online portal for elementary schools. Federated search. Looks at school libs, public libs, databases, and best websites chosen by teachers, and google sites.
Sirsi-Dynis. Rooms. Have room for different searches.

Feels 3 networks work. Libraries Connect does what’s necessary for cooperation. Each network has its own funding stream. Each runs on its own subset of state system. Academic use I2.

OPLIN established by OLC. State Library was not at all interested in OPLIN. Participated in OhioLInk so didn’t care. High contention between Cheski and OPLIN. Day OPLIN got funded, Cheski retired. Set OPLIN separate so was not part of State Library. Now?? State Library tried once to get OPLIN. No reason OPLIN couldn’t function with state library. But why rock the boat.

OPLIN works best on state network. Push state to get better rates. With a new governor who is doing Broadband Initiative. Cooperation is good. Don’t think can get a better contract that state can.

Success factors:
• Participation getting everyone involved, no surprises, here is what we are planning, get involved
• Well connected, respected leaders in an advisory council
o Two trustees, library directors
o Working librarians who actually know and do something
o Task force on administration, money, procedures, policies
o Two people from board as chairs and task forces do work
o Committees under task forces
o Get directors to let staff come
• Had regional meetings. Handed out draft of document. Get seven metro libraries to buy in. Cleveland send top tech people to serve so other big metros asked to have their people on it as well
• Organization that goes behind it led by someone neutral – Greg and Fran
• Someone that goes to all the meetings and takes notes and puts it all together.
• OLC paid them a little money
• Vision to do this and ignoring any perceived barriers
• Blasted through barriers
• Acknowledge barriers and then overcome them.
• Could be done now. Public librarians are bummed because not getting an increase.
• State Libraries efforts to do resource sharing. MORE – Moving Online Resources Everywhere. LSTA gave 11 million to schools to automate school libraries. Maybe state library should now spend money another way.

Gates
Replicate in other states what has happened in Ohio and Missouri
Send people to meetings
Neutral people

Frustration with Gates.
Spends money on Smaller Learning Communities
Divide big school into small school
These people know nothing about school libraries
Gates doesn’t see value of school libraries

Interview with Dave Miller

Chairman of the...
Dave came in after the librarians got the ball rolling.

Greg Byerly really got it started.

Ohio Library Council (OLC) got behind the idea and it became a reality.

Dave was president of OLC. Not involved in working with Greg.

Dave was in Columbus for something else. Got a call from OLC asking if he would call state representative to lobby for more funding from general assembly for operational spending for public libraries. Went to a pay phone to call the state representative sponsoring the bill.. His was the 8th call for same thing. Many librarians had already called. Randy Gardner is now a state senator. He said he agreed but was cutting funding percentage. It was a good year for one time funding. Governor had already put in a budget request for 4.5 million for OPLIN but would not bring it inside libraries. Most of big libraries has the money to bring it inside. Many of the small ones could not afford it. Standing in a wet phone booth, Miller asked for state to provide the money to bring OPLIN inside the library and internet work stations for the public. How much?
Dave came up with $5 million. 250 library districts at the time times about $10,000 per library. Passed the house. Senate approved $10 million. Settled on $ 8 million.

Helped to get all the libraries involved. Also gave Tony Yankus the resources to pay for training services for the library. In Governor’s 4.5 million didn’t provide for any training. Bought computers, routhers, training, databases.

Miller is now chair of state library board. He moved to that after he was chair of OLC Board.

His role with OPLIN now is to support the use of LSTA funds to supplement databases.
They will have a retreat next week. Get newsbank. OPLIN, Ohio-Link, and Info Ohio work together to get databases.

The State Library approves OPLIN board member but based on their recommendations.

Come close to bringing OPLIN into the state library. For various reasons their board said no.
Advantage
Line item under state library budget but not part of state library
Provide services for them
HR services
Bookkeeping, Diane Fink
Monitors their books
Technical report due and state library IT people do the report
General assembly approves OPLIN budget through state library
Protection not as strong

Disadvantages
OPLIN doesn’t have 100% trust in state library
State Library Bd blocked two OPLIN Board members to be OPLIN Directors
When OPLIN got funded, Dick wanted it to be part of the state library

Factors that lead to success
• Tony Yankus was the right person for the job
o Tony and Grey Byerly can see things others can’t
o Vision of how it can all come together
o Laid firm foundation then the challenge was gone for Tony
• OLC coming into its own. Created OLC from OLA and OLTA.
o Academics pulled out into their own organization and formed OhioLink
o Had the right energy
o Did some things the state library might do but didn’t
o If OLC said something was good, they would believe it
o Flip flop between prof and trustee as president of OLC (used to 10 years ago, still?
o Very active professional librarians on the board
• OLC sold people on the concept.
o Lot of credibility
• With funding, didn’t take long to get down to medium-sized and small libraries.
• High energy,
• People satisfied with progress,
• Easy to use
• Vigorous training
• Everything worked the way it should
• Lots of people enthusiastic about sharing information
• Saw how internet could be a partner to their own libraries

Voinevietch deserves a lot of credit for his willing to fund the vision.

Should networks merge? Would have some administrative cost savings. They are getting there through cooperation on databases. Some public libraries are joining OhioLink. General Assembly would love to see them merge. School libraries not well funded. InfoOhio is weaker. There are now 3 executive directors: OPOIN, OhioLink, InfoOhio. Through attrition might be able to work all of this out. Not want to invest a lot of time championing but the General Assembly could force it.

Turf issues. Asked for plus and minus of merger. All minuses.

Use LSTA funds for databases. State Library continues to provide support additional.

Gates
Implement the OPLIN model.
Could happen in any state
Do you have the commitment of the GA or Governor?
Do what Voinovich did. Get BB to doors of libraries.Use model of Ohio and Missouri with other state GA and Governor.

John

Mark

Networks Morning Focus Group

As part of the morning focus groups, Stephen Hedges of OPLIN, Shawn Walsh of the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and Glen Horton of the Southwest Ohio Neighboring Libraries. Here are my notes.

The session’s notes are augmented with a separate group of notes from a meeting with the OPLIN staff.

History

State put out bid for postalized rates to connect everyone, which resulted in the SOMACS contract

This put in place a standard $450 per month per T1 line for government

Public libraries were able to buy into the contract

To get the state to pay for it, they emphasized the need for equity of access

So they set up OPLIN

All T1s in the state go back to Columbus to be connected to the Internet by the Ohio Office for IT

OARNET

The state-wide network for higher ed

Connects 90 colleges and universities

Originally purchased off of SOMACS contract

Have gone through a network re-design

Build a new network w/ 1600 miles of fiber

Connects Higher Ed, K12 and public television

Several backbone rings throughout the state

Would like to continue to link entities

OPLIN

Manages the contracts for the public libraries

only drives out connectivity to the main branch of a public library—does not connect all of the branch ibrary

Libraries can buy into the state contract to get the postalized rate to connect branches

If the branch libraries connect to OPLIN via the T1+ back to Columbus, OPLIN pays for Internet Connectivity at the State IT OFfice

Manages the customer service to libraries

Funding comes from state appropriation and from E-Rate

Clevenet

The libraries around Cleveland all share a ILS

Built own regional network

To save money, OPLIN funds T1s from Cleveland to libraries and then a DS3 to Columbus

What OPLIN does well

Bought quality routers

Networking consulting for internal wiring

Support center at the state level

Goes beyond authority to provide all types of support for libraries, as is requested

Challenges of OPLIN

Subscription database authentication

Network level cache servers

Anticipation increase in demand because of VOIP and Video

Getting enough training to public libraries

Viruses, adware and spyware eating up bandwidth

Bottleneck @ last mile

E-Rate

Approx 50% of libraries are CIPA compliant

But they apply for telecomm charges to pay for the T1

Does not receive E-Rate to pay OIT to pay for access to the commodity Internet

Governance

Has a governing board that serves OPLIN from an advisory perspective instead of a governance modle

OPLIN reports to the state library office, where the appropriation is made to

Office for IT

Manages the last mile

Manages the network end to end

Allocates the amount of bandwidth that is needed to connect entities.

Best Practices

State funding to libraries (in OH 80-85% is from state gov’t)

Have a friendly face for customers

Someone to talk non-techie to the community

Putting computers out there and providing training

Statewide service system

Find a lot of users

challenges

No unified vision to put new backbone in place

Current model was sufficient 10 years ago, but does not scale well

Getting content out to libraries

Difficulty with streaming video taking up the bandwidth

Getting fiber out to the libraries

Adding a caching server (they indicated a difficulty in getting one installed and working properly)

Determining bandwidth

Old policy was everyone gets a T1

New policy of .01 Mbps per public workstation + .015 per staff workstation

Does not think this will scale well in the future

Driving Force

Equity of access

Ohio Library council (the state public library professional association

Services from OPLIN

Circuit charges

Databases

Manages routers and the routes out to the Ohio IT Office

Customer Service

E-Mail

Training by State Library

Regional Library Consortiums Provide:

Web hosting

E-Mail

Traning

Some technical support

Barriers

Working with decision makers

of computers is limited

E-Government

Trained Staff

Gates interventions

Take over technical operations

Having connectivy and using it are 2 different things

Recommends funding webhosting

Grants to figure out how to use the connection

Education to librarians

Sell Equity of Access

Encourage state funding

Lobbying

Everyone loves libraries

Funding for wireless Equipment

Putting together a support structure

Dan Farslow, E-Rate Guru

Dan is an advocate for usage of E-Rate by public libraries and public schools

Bristles with lots of energy

Thinks it is their duty to apply for E-Rate to take advantage of all of the funding that is available to them

Works for the State Ed. Department

Contracts w/ state library to provide E-Rate training

Has been working with library to help them fill out the E-Rate application and has been steadily increasing the flow of E-Rate money to libraries

Terry Fredrickat from InfOhio

InfOhio is a statewide consortium of K12 libraries

They provide state-wide subscriptions to various databases, even in kids home

K12 uses 3rd Frontier (the new state higher-ed backbone)

Connects via 13 regional consortiums

Anthony Yankes

Has an idea on how to connect entities together by building a fiber ring around the town square

they would then connect via the Third Frontier backbone

Would like to place local government players, libraries, schools, higher ed, private entities and residents on this backbone via

Gates Interventions

Biggest impact @ the lowest cost

Educate the policy makers

Governor, Chief Justice, Speaker of the house, Senate President, State Budget Director would be highest priority for training

Dan Farslow, E-Rate Guru

Dan is an advocate for usage of E-Rate by public libraries and public schools

Bristles with lots of energy

Thinks it is their duty to apply for E-Rate to take advantage of all of the funding that is available to them

Works for the State Ed. Department

Contracts w/ state library to provide E-Rate training

Has been working with library to help them fill out the E-Rate application and has been steadily increasing the flow of E-Rate money to libraries

Terry Fredrickat from InfOhio

InfOhio is a statewide consortium of K12 libraries

They provide state-wide subscriptions to various databases, even in kids home

K12 uses 3rd Frontier (the new state higher-ed backbone)

Connects via 13 regional consortiums

Anthony Yankes

Has an idea on how to connect entities together by building a fiber ring around the town square

they would then connect via the Third Frontier backbone

Would like to place local government players, libraries, schools, higher ed, private entities and residents on this backbone via

Gates Interventions

Biggest impact @ the lowest cost

Educate the policy makers

Governor, Chief Justice, Speaker of the house, Senate President, State Budget Director would be highest priority for training

Follow-ups

Greg Byerly

I talkd about your broadband deployment in Ohio question with Roger Verny, Deputy Ohio State Librarian, and we discusse how just as OPLIN was based on equity of access, broadband availability also needs to be based on equity of access. The underserved areas need access to resources that developed areas do. The way you get to resources today is through broadband access. The Gates Foundation needs to lend not only its money but its political cache in reducing the digital divide. They need to be the Champion.

Don Walsch OARNET

The key factor was the State of Ohio's decision to establish a strategic plan for networking which established at T1 as the desired standard for connectivity, and then the state need to create an environment where this level of service would be affordable statewide for all State Agencies including libraries, K-12 schools and higher education. As a result of issuing an RFP, which include all state entities, the state received favorable pricing due to the volume of the contract and the term which was 10 years. This approach is currently being considered in the next generation broadband where a T1 is no longer an adequate standard and we are looking to set a new goal to provide a range of ethernet connectivity (10 megabits to 1 gigabit) as the new standard.
With the integration of voice, data, video and internet services using IP there will be rapidly increasing broadband requirements. As with the previous approach the key is to establish the standard and set that as the state goal and then to develop an RFP for the private sector to compete for the best price and options to deliver this service. We are also looking at expanding the scope to include all state, local and federal governments in the state as well as research faciities, education and education related and healthcare. The theory is by further expanding the eligibility entities the pricing may be more favorable in the RFP.